Air India, India's national carrier, has sparked controversy by announcing a policy that directly links cabin crew members' body mass index (BMI) to their flight eligibility and pay.
According to the New York Post and other international media outlets on Thursday, Air India will implement a "Cabin Crew Health and Fitness Compliance Policy" for all cabin crew members starting May 1, with the stated aim of promoting healthy lifestyle habits.
The policy defines a BMI of 18 to 24.9 as the normal range. Crew members falling outside this range must pass a medical evaluation and functional fitness test to remain on flight duty. Those with a BMI of 30 or above — classified as obese — will be immediately removed from flight rosters and have their pay reduced.
Crew members who fail to meet the standard will be given a 30-day grace period, but those who still fall short afterward will face warning letters and disciplinary action. The policy applies to both active crew members and trainees.
Crew members classified as obese must undergo medical tests, including blood glucose and lipid screenings, within seven days. The tests will be conducted repeatedly before and after flights and during training. The airline said the current policy is "a preparatory measure ahead of implementing a new policy that includes enhanced fitness standards."
Criticism has been fierce. The medical community points out that BMI is a crude metric that fails to account for individual characteristics such as muscle mass, bone density, age and body type, making it an inappropriate standard for evaluating employees. Critics also note that women and older crew members naturally undergo physical changes that BMI scores do not reflect.
Labor rights groups argue that cutting pay based on physical measurements rather than performance or safety standards may violate Indian employment law. While Asian and Middle Eastern carriers such as Emirates and Singapore Airlines maintain similar body-type standards, major European and North American airlines have moved to abolish weight-based regulations, citing discrimination concerns and shifting social attitudes.
The measure is part of Air India's broader operational overhaul to align with global service standards since its acquisition by Tata Group in January 2022. The airline has laid off a significant number of existing employees over the four years since the acquisition, and the introduction of fitness standards is seen as an extension of that restructuring.